A Kick in the Face Means I Love You
by O. Juice
Summary: [RenxTat] Fifty quick kicks to the face, for the 1sentence LJ community.


"A Kick in the Face Means I Love You"

O. Juice

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**#01 Comfort**

They'd never outright comfort each other, so when Soul Society matters plagued Renji's thoughts, Tatsuki resigned herself to quietly sitting next to him with, for once, no hostility or banter between them.

**#02 Kiss**

The way he got close to her face while he argued made her think he was going to kiss her at the end of his rant but no contact came and she grew even more hostile; they didn't speak for weeks.

**#03 Soft**

When they embrace for the first time, they are both surprised: Renji feels warm and Tatsuki, surprisingly soft.

**#04 Pain**

Renji's male pride allowed her to get in one good punch on the jaw for free and when he woke up an hour later, he didn't know which hurt more: his ego or his face.

**#05 Potatoes**

He was glad Tatsuki wasn't some dainty flower, some delicate peach; he liked to play rough and nothing less than a sturdy and hearty potato-woman would do.

**#06 Rain**

From her window, she could see Renji fighting off more of those things; Tatsuki scowled and grabbed an umbrella and towel, while muttering "even in this weather?" before heading out the door.

**#07 Chocolate**

He never gave her the traditional presents a lover would give, but gave her a Swiss Army knife instead of candies, nunchucks instead of flowers, and (her personal favorite) fighting gloves instead of jewelry.

**#08 Happiness**

They don't need the gushy love notes, the romantic walks and serenades because being near each other makes them happy, whatever that means.

**#09 Telephone**

By the end of the day, the rumors seemed to have gone through a strange sort of telephone game: "what do you mean Renji beat Tatsuki up and left her for dead?"

**#10 Ears**

Renji rubbed the forming bump on his head while sending Tatsuki a brief yet intense glare; for a mere human, she had impressive hearing.

**#11 Name**

It wasn't the inappropriate thoughts of her during the day that signaled his growing attachment; it was the fact that he took every opportunity to say her name because it rolled off his tongue so naturally.

**#12 Sensual**

There was a muted sensuality in everything Tatsuki did that was covered with her roughness and Renji would have missed it if he hadn't caught her obliviously sipping her hot chocolate similar to how Matsumoto Rangiku would if she knew someone was watching her.

**#13 Death**

It's never goodbye between the two of them, only "see you later" because nothing, not even death, can keep them apart.

**#14 Sex**

Sex sells, Renji is told and isn't quite surprised by this when he sees Tatsuki (fully grown up and the current face of the Karate world--but still just as brash as she had always been) on the cover of a sports magazine with that glint in her eye and a half-smirk, half-pout on her lips that told him she was up to no good, even after all these years; if he weren't a penniless shinigami, he might've bought a copy or three.

**#15 Touch**

A casual brush against an arm here, the back of a hand grazing against a shoulder there--these accidental touches were how they communicated their silent "I missed you"s; for all their gusto and bravado, hardly were they ever forward.

**#16 Weakness**

Tatsuki knows exactly where to hit so Renji had better watch out, she thinks angrily to herself as she adjusts the large bag of taiyaki she carries, because she's going to eat each and every one of these suckers right in front of that broke (and hungry) shinigami.

**#17 Tears**

Later on Renji would remember the only time she cried was when she begged him to go save Orihime (because they both knew he'd do a better job at it) but he couldn't and had to tie her up, tears and all, both to prevent her from going after Ulquiorra herself and to stop her from walking away from him.

**#18 Speed**

Tatsuki's pace while walking depended on her mood, but that didn't matter to Renji—he matched each one of her strides effortlessly.

**#19 Wind**

It was the first time she had ever seen Renji so apologetic, right after she didn't block in time and got the wind knocked out of her; Renji made it a point never to swing that fast whenever Tatsuki was on the receiving end.

**#20 Freedom**

With Renji, Tatsuki could be as vulgar and crude as she wanted—and yet somehow, he'd always manage to outdo her.

**#21 Life**

Life is incredibly funny that way, how Ichigo was turning out to be more like his father every day, how Tatsuki ended up marrying some spineless and mild-mannered accountant, but Renji does not feel like laughing.

**#22 Jealousy**

She absolutely and relentlessly hated him at first; how could he come in and already inflict fear with just one look when it took her years to build up her thuggish reputation?

**#23 Hands**

They rarely held hands; Renji felt a little foolish doing that and Tatsuki hated how hers were so small and frail against his larger calloused ones.

**#24 Taste**

When Tatsuki finally managed to stand, she could taste blood in her mouth; she smirked a little, thinking to herself that when that stupidly slow Abarai comes, this thing will have hell to pay.

**#25 Devotion**

After a night's worth hollows, Renji would always end up tapping on Tatsuki's window to be treated of his scratches and close calls even though he can tend to himself quite efficiently (he lets her because it's one of the few things she can really do for him and he'll take it when he can, make one careless step on purpose just so he could feel her feathery light touches on his skin).

**#27 Blood**

It was late when she found him slaying one of those things; she hid in the corner and watched him fight and her blood ran cold to see how mercilessly he dealt with monsters.

**#28 Sickness**

Those who observed their interactions called their relationship twisted--it was like they were always competing and whoever said "I love you" first would lose (even if the sentiments were true for both sides).

**#29 Melody**

Renji had never been much of a singer, but as she listened to the wail and whistle of his Zabimaru slice through the air while he protected her (from the Hollows, arrancars--from everything), Tatsuki realized it was the most beautiful song she has ever heard.

**#30 Star**

She was the karate world's rising star until a disappointing defeat last year thanks to some lovey-dovey (and incredibly distracting) spirits; but things were looking up because Renji was around to get rid of them.

**#31 Home**

He was a stray who knew no real home and yet somehow it never really bothered him until he mentioned it to Tatsuki who replied with an uncharacteristically solemn "that's sad;" suppose it was, but who was she to make him feel alone?

**#32 Confusion**

Renji watched as Tatsuki walked away with her shoulders tense and her fits shoved into her pockets; he touched his cheek where her lips lightly brushed only moments before and felt incredibly dazed.

**#33 Fear**

Even though they were stronger than most, when it came down to it, they were really both just cowards, unable to face their growing attachment to each other.

**#34 Lightning/Thunder**

It never rained this much in Soul Society, Renji thought bitterly while he waited under an overhang (it's nearly dinner now, damn it), staying behind only because Tatsuki was too afraid to move.

**#35 Bonds**

Because of their last names, they were paired up for the three-legged race during a school event; they both cursed at each other the whole way to the finish line and remained totally ignorant to the fact that they were the fastest and most coordinated couple there.

**#36 Market**

Once they ran into each other in the market and he easily plucked off the bread on the top shelf she had been trying to reach before their matching grunts of acknowledgement and greeting; she kicked him in the shin promptly after and told him she could reach her own damn bread, thank you very much.

**#37 Technology**

Tatsuki had always found it amusing how old-fashioned Renji could get when it came to technology; she'd tease and call him an old man where his only reply was a frustrated and flustered "brat!"

**#38 Gift**

When Renji is worried, his voice drops to something close to a whisper but Tatsuki has now known him long enough to pick up on his voice even in a noisy room; she rarely misses his quiet confessions—a talent of hers she wouldn't trade for anything else.

**#39 Smile**

One day an underclassmen decided to broadcast his undying admiration for the hot-headed tomboy, to which her reply was a polite no thanks, and then a later-snapped "what the hell are you smiling about, Abarai?"

**#40 Innocence**

It occurred to him plenty of times to just tell her who he really was, why he was even there to begin with, but every time he opened his mouth some stupid remark would take its place (unbeknownst to him, she already knew all about it but didn't want to ruin his illusion of her obliviousness).

**#41 Completion**

Apart they are loose canons—both going mad with their own company—but together they find a way around that and are better for it.

**#42 Clouds**

Her thoughts were all cloudy from the alcohol after just a few sips of her sake and Renji just snorted before effortlessly finishing off his second cup, "told you so."

**#43 Sky**

"Look," Tatsuki pointed into the sky where strange men floated mid-air and Renji could feel his muscles tense as he moved to stand between her and doom.

**#44 Heaven**

It's a rare idle afternoon when both are in a less hostile mood and Tatsuki wonders out loud what heaven is like; Renji snorts and tells her it's not as great as she might think.

**#45 Hell**

Her hands instinctively gripped his arm while she stood behind him as the doors to hell manifested itself in front of them to swallow up the cowering spirit; it was quiet and still after the doors disappeared and Renji made sure she was all right before teasing her about that moment of fear.

**#46 Sun**

They didn't speak for a few days and when the slightly disturbed Renji made a casual remark about it, Tatsuki simply rolled her eyes and told him her world didn't revolve around him, contrary to what he might think.

**#47 Moon**

Sometimes they meet secretly underneath the shroud of the inky night sky with the moon as the only witness to their profound romance.

**#48 Waves**

Later on they find that they the currents always try to push them together, slowly and surely, as if an outside force prevents them from getting too far because separation would be unnatural.

**#49 Hair**

Tatsuki found herself buying plenty of hairclips, barrettes and ribbons—not for her but for Renji who often liked to tease and tell her he'd make a better girl than she would.

**#50 Supernova**

When they had first laid eyes on each other, there were no fireworks, no sparks or grossly excessive explosions, but simply a curt nod of acknowledgement before turning away; life does not change with a bang, but with hardly any noise, if at all.

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**Disclaimer**: Bleach is not mine.

**Author's Notes**: _Finally_ claimed the Tastuki x Renji pairing at the One Sentence community in LJ. Hoped y'all liked it.


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